Sustainability

The lack of resources is becoming more and more accentuated and we are fully aware of the importance of our participation in addressing this challenge, a challenge in which the circular economy is taking a foothold as a system that ensures the efficient use of resources. The circular economy involves moving towards a decarbonised and sustainable model, as proposed by the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly as set out in Goal No. 12 which advocates moving towards a change that helps ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

The circular economy implies a change in the consumption paradigm to ensure that each product can be integrated into multiple use and production cycles, that is, that resources become products, products become waste and waste become resources. To achieve this goal, we work hand-in-hand with the agents of our value chain so that the equipment and materials used in the activities of the Red Eléctrica Group are manufactured from reused or recycled materials and that, at the end of their useful life, they can also be recycled, reused or recovered, thus closing the sustainability loop for all equipment and materials used.

 

The Red Eléctrica Group seeks to be a leading company in circular economy, a goal that entails the following:

• Circular supply chain: equipment and materials used by the Company are made from recycled or reused resources.
• Convert waste into resources: reduce, reuse, recycle or recovery all waste generated from an energy perspective. Zero waste to landfill sites.
• Renewable resources: water consumption from renewable sources and consumption of green energy.
• Foster Eco-design and innovation of equipment and materials so as to extend the useful life and improve its productive capacity.
• Introduce the circular economy concept and raise awareness among all agents of our supply chain.

In 2018, Red Eléctrica signed and became a member of the Circular Economy Pact, led by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, undertaking the commitment to apply a series of golden rules and courses of action aimed at implementing changes in the organisation that contribute to promoting responsible consumption patterns. To respond to this commitment, in 2019 we designed a roadmap that allows us to set the guidelines to become a leading company in circular economy by 2030. The main goal is the definition of a circular economy strategy that enables us to:

1. Evolve towards a management model that encompasses and involves the entire value chain in order to achieve a more efficient use of resources, reducing dependence on raw materials and natural resources.
    
2. Replace the existing linear scheme with a circular system where waste can be turned into reusable resources.
    
3. Identify which areas of activity of the Company are likely to be able to incorporate the circular economy in their processes and thus propose concrete steps and courses of action regarding materials and components, as well as water consumption and waste management, that can contribute to achieving said circular economy.
    
4. Set an action plan with partial targets on a 2022, 2027 and 2030 horizon and define specific goals that can help us become a leading company in circular economy by 2030.

Moreover, as we are aware of the need to establish alliances and a collaborative working model, in 2019 we signed up to and became a member of Forética’s Circular Economy Action Group (GAEC - Grupo de Acción de Economía Circular); an impact initiative whose aim is to spearhead the business transition towards a circular economy model in Spain, thus contributing to the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy.

Sustainable waste management

Red Eléctrica works on different projects with the goal of minimising the amount and hazardous nature of the waste generated as a result of its activities. Waste is derived mainly from three processes:

• Preventive or corrective maintenance tasks: equipment inspections, changing of parts, oil changes, etc.
• Improvements in facilities: renewal of obsolete equipment, adaptation of accident prevention systems, etc.

Given the nature of the Company’s waste-generating activities it is very difficult to establish reduction targets, therefore the Company's efforts have focused on finding the best solutions for its final management.

In this regard, work is being carried out on the ‘Zero waste to landfill sites’ project in our Central Regional Office with the aim of progressively expanding its scope to the entire Company and with a clear goal focused on generating zero waste to landfill sites by 2030.